Africa
USA’S AFRICOM may directly train Somali troops
September 1, 2010 · 10 Comments
(Somalilandpress) — Since the creation of Africa Command Center under Bush administration in 2007, much focus of the Command has been creation of development projects and military cooperation between participating African countries and the United States military.
In addition to providing logistics in fight against piracy activities off the Somali coast, AFRICOM has been providing training Ugandan and Burundi peacekeeping forces before heading to Somalia to support the US-backed government. However AFRICOM may directly be involved in training Somali troops in Uganda and Burundi. In an interview with the US military newspaper, Stripes.com, the head of AFRICOM, Gen. William “Kip” Ward said AFRICOM is prepared to provide training directly to Somali troops instead of training African militaries to train Somalia troops.
“To the degree that the Transitional Federal Government and its military structure requires and asks for that same thing, we are prepared to do that,” Ward said during an interview Monday at his headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. But the General said that is political decision that can only come from the White House and not from AFRICOM.
Currently AFRICOM only provides training and logistic support to African peacekeeping mission in Somalia. Also the U.S. government provides military and financial support to weak Somali government. However, the US has opted not to get involved directly in fighting that is taking place between Al Qaeda affiliated group, Al Shabab and the U.S.-backed government. But training the Somali troops could present a dramatic shift in is U.S. strategy towards Somalia.
Gen. William “Kip” Ward in the same interview pointed out that U.S. strategy towards Somalia is “under review in Washington.” And he added that AFRICOM is prepaard to provide what is necessary to act on any development in any new approach towards Somalia. The General also confirmed that is unlikely that U.S. military will be on ground in Somalia.
Somalia quietly has been the third front of the war against Islamic extremism after Iraq and Afghanistan. Militant group, Al Shabab officially has pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda. The group made international headlines when it killed more than 70 civilians in Uganda during the final game of World Cup. In the last few days a number of Islamic militant groups has joined forces to toppled the weak Somali government in Mogadishu. More than 60 people were killed so far in continuous battles in streets of Mogadishu in the last few days between Islamists and Somali federal government supported by African Union troops.
The United States is concerned that instable Somalia could be safe haven and training ground for foreign jihadists from around the world. The U.S. State Department has declared Al Shabab a terrorist organization.
EU disburses €47million for peace effort in Somalia
In addition, the European Union (EU) announced on Wednesday it issued €47 million to support peace making efforts in the troubled Somalia through the African Union (AU) Commission.
This brings the EU allocation to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to a total of €142 million funded under the African Peace Facility (APF) since 2007.
Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said in a statement that “AMISOM remains crucial to prevent a severe further downfall in the security of Somalia and has proven to be key to the creation of minimum security pre-conditions for dialogue and reconciliation in Somalia.”
AMISON has had an uninterrupted peacekeeping presence in Mogadishu since March 2007 where currently around 5,500 Ugandan and Burundi troops under the AU are helping the TFG of Somalia in stabilizing the country.
The EU support to AMISOM is funded under the African Peace Facility and channelled through the African Union.
The support to AMISOM is part of a multi-level EU strategy towards Somalia which encompasses regular assistance to the security sector through development programmes and projects, humanitarian assistance, naval security operations and security training.
Sources: http://www.stripes.com & African Press Agency
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Tags: AFRICOM train Somali troops Uganda al shabab troops AU somalia
Readers Comments (10)
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Yes. they may train them, but the trainees end up in the file and rank of the Alsabaab terror organization who are part of Arab wahabi conspiracy to undermine all democracies of the world and creat a backward Arab empire ruled exclusively by Arabs. So far the majority of those Somalis, trained in the past, in Uganda, Ethiopia, Jabuuti, and Kenia, joined this Alsabaab which sponsors death and destruction in Somalia, with declared intention to expand their activities to all east Africa and even beyond.
ninkaan halyeey
la baxayu ma soomaalibaa mise waa gaal gaal dhalay!
muslim sxb somalinimudu muslimnimo maaha marwalba, waayo somali gaala ah ayaa jirta. laakiin adigu ninkan haku dambaabin waayo alshabaab muslimka ma matasho.
You are right. I know few Somalis including my friend who is also from Somaliland who are Atheist. Not a big deal really.
Dude just get out of hear you are a racist and if u ask me why just look at your statements in this site
Somalia needs a political solution not a Military one. Somalia's somalis must be
allowed to settle their differences without foreign interferences is the best
way forward…but of course the rule of Al shabaab must be averted at all
costs.
Cheers.
What Al Shabbab is fighting today is not a Holy Jihad…its a game of Revenge for the lost members of the Al Shabbab ranks who died in past fighting ….this dirty game is terrorizing the civilians in South Somalia….when the Ethiopian Occupiers were in town ICU was fighting a real war…..Today this war is unjust and not in the name of Islam.
The AU Forces are not fighting a offensive war therefore Al Shabbab should not be killing innocent Somalis and African soldiers . They should be in direct peace talks with their former leader of Islamic Courts Union and present President of Somalia Shiekh Sharif Ahmed.
They need to stick to Islam and not be directed by their emotions to commit these horrible crimes which Somalia has never seen even in the decades of Clan warfare which ruined Somalia….suicide bombings and hotel bombings indiscriminately killing anyone …even a graduation for desperately needed Somali medical students is not safe ……this is unheard of and must stop… for the the sake of Somalia and Somalis and most importantly the religion of Islam which they claim to uphold and fight in the name of.
Libax
The ICU and the Al shabaab were originally known as Alitihad Alislami. this AiAi was jihadist wing of Wslf & Onlf Ogendia stuff…remember C/laahi Yusuf counterinsurgency war against aiai in Bossasso Puntland. Later when Tfg again C/laahi Yusuf the President was formed the Icu Hawiye wing split and for a period the Icu managed to conquer Mogadiscio whilst the much suspecious of aiai were somewhat in paranoid confusion. Then again in the same Bosasso manner but this time with a different counterinsurgency contigency the Tfg President C/laahi called in the Ethio forces to deal and get rid of the Icu power spectrum. Later when C/laahi was defeated the aiai came out of it's paranoid situation substituting the power of the Icu. the new Alshabaab is the old aiai and now has taken over the power of Icu which is also now hizbu alislam in somewhat a flanking paranoid. The whole ball game A to Z betwen TFG and aiai in rainbow shows at different stages with renewed names is what is killing Somalia!.
Cheers.
Libax never a truer word been spoken. International interference especially from the US is never in the interest of the common somali person. It is a game of power hungry individuals selling their souls and investing in this duniya working with foreign parties to spread corruption in the land. These foreign parties themselves have a much larger global agenders. May Allah guide us all…
Libax never a truer word been spoken. International interference especially from the US is never in the interest of the common somali person. It is a game of power hungry individuals selling their souls and investing in this duniya, working with foreign parties to spread corruption. These foreign parties themselves have a much larger global agender. May Allah guide us all…